Singularity

Last night I was scrolling on my Facebook newsfeed and I came across this interview on Vice Magazine written by Claire Evans called “Inside the Surreal, Self-Invented World of Pamela Anderson” . I wasn’t intrigued by the actual content of the article but by the video that Pamela Anderson was recently featured in.

The video is called “Connected” by Luke Gilford and it features PlayBoy babe, Pamela Anderson as Jackie. However, Anderson is seen in a complete different light in this video. The short-film is about a woman, Jackie, going through what I think may be a mild-life crisis. We see her at her home in Venice Beach as she goes through her daily routine, contemplating and reminiscing life. She is in constant struggle and obsession of self-improvement (juicing, fitness, meditation, and creaming). A friend or someone she knows recommends her to go to this wellness spa to get “more connecting”, as she is not completely satisfied with her current state.

At the end of the video we see how these all mellowed, in-synced and well aware people come to be so “connected” at this wellness spa. However the secret is in an ear plug that gets injected inside your ear. After the ear plug was injected into Jackie’s ear, she asked what was it was for. Luna (a spa instructor/ friend/ i don’t really know), tells her it’s for the WiFi connection. This automatically freaked me out! Yes, WiFi connection in your ear. That was the reason why everyone was so in-synced and connected. Everyone’s fears, emotions, problems, anxieties were all shared so they can all be as one and forget about the things that don’t really matter.

When the video ended, I couldn’t help but think about the Technological Singularity theory I studied back in school. Singularity theory (not the mathematical one), is basically where Artificial Intelligence surpasses human intelligence and the world is in this super-intelligence state. According to Ray Kurzweil in Age of Spiritual Machines he says, “My perdition is that we will increasingly merge with our technology. In the next century there’s not going to be a clear separation between humans and machines. We’re not looking at an invasion of intelligent machines, but rather an emergence of human-machine civilization”. If this doesn’t freak you out, then I don’t know what else would. Kurzweil goes on in saying that humans will ultimately be mortal and will surpass that of the existence or abilities of God. Where humans become there own god (or something between those lines).

Singularity theory can be seen as a positive and beautiful utopian idea like communism ones was to many way back when. But then the question becomes, what is humanity? the whole definition of humans will be rewritten, that kinda of freaks me out a bit. I guess for those who are all into evolution and all that stuff would be in support of this and will argue it part of evolution. But… it’s uncanny to me. Then again, you can already see the influence of technology has on humans right now. Not only are we constantly on our phones and laptops, but we can also see the enhancements made to the body because of technology; glasses, clothing, hearing aids, artificial hands or legs for amputees, or wheelchairs! SO many things that have made the human body function just that much better. Imagine if or when more technologies will be made to alter the human body/mind! Having a machine that helps you bump blood, BOOM no need for a heart anymore, or a machine that can control thoughts… I may be over reaching here but I’m pretty sure something is in the works for the heart idea.

I fear that our sense of humanity would be lost if this singularity theory emerges. We’ve already lost some humanity with all these technological advancements. Imagine if it were to control us. It’s scary. All of these thoughts came from that one video hahaha…

I thought I’d share one of the most exciting futurist yet scary ideas out there. If you’d like to know more check out Ray Kurzweil and Vernor Vinge. Also the movie Transcendence, featuring Johnny Deep, is a perfect example of how Singularity can turn into the worst thing possible for mankind.